Combined canvas-stretcher and picture frame



March "7, 1939.

J TE PPER COMBINED CANVAS-STRETCHER AND PICTURE FRAME Filed May 10, 19555 Sheets-Sheet l x I v attorney .ZWverztor JOSEPH TEPPER.

March 7, 1939. J, TEPPER COMBINED CANVAS-STRETCHER AND PICTURE FRAMEFiled May 10, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,Tvvvewtor JOSEPH T PPER W awmweyMarch 7, 1939. J TEPPER I 2,149,985

COMBINED CANVAS-STRETCHER AND PICTURE FRAME J'osEPH T ER 28 I I 1QVJDIYJBJ March 7, 1939. J. T'EPPER 2,149,985

COMBINED CANVAS-STRETCHER AND PICTURE FRAME Filed May 10, 1955 5Sheets-Sheet 4 ,lirveiztor JOSEPH TEPPER March 7, 1939. J, TEPPER2,149,985

COMBINED CANVAS-STRETCHER AN D PICTURE FRAME Filed May 10, 1955 5Sheets-Sheet 5 112 112 J. f I "57 44 46 46 43 4a 50 X l L fizveflt'arJOSEPH TEPPER Patented Mar. 7, 1939- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE-OOLBINED CANVAS-STRE-TCHER AND PICTURE FRAME 21 Claims.

The present invention, though having also other fields of utility,relates more particularly to artists supplies, such as frames, includingcanvas-stretching frames, picture frames and the like, and its object isto provide a new and imroved article of this nature that may be used asa stretching frame for painting canvases, silk, drawing paper,water-color paper, or other sheet material, or for similar analogouspurposes.

A further object is to provide separate units that may be readilycombined into any convenient size of canvas stretcher, or picture frame.Another object is to provide a frame of the above-described characterthat shall be easily adjustable. Other and. further objects will beexplained hereinafter and will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

The invention will be more fully explained in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front perspective of acanvasstretcher embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a sectiontaken upon the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of thearrows, upon a larger scale than in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryelevation of the same, upon a, still larger scale; Fig. 4 is a similarlyenlarged, fragmentary rear perspective of a modification; Fig. 5'is asimilarly enlarged, fragmentary rear elevation of a furthermodification; Fig. 6 is a rear perspective, corresponding to Fig. 1, ofstill another modification; Fig. '7 is asection similar to Fig. 2, takenupon the line '!'I of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows;Figs. 8, 8a and 9 are fragmentary perspectives, similar to Fig. 4, offurther modifications, particularly adapted to picture-frame use; Figs.10 and 11 are fragmentary sections. similar to Figs. 2 and. '7 of othermodifications; Fig. 12 shows a perspective of a detail; Fig. 13 is asection taken upon the line l3l3 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction ofthe arrows; Fig. 14 is an elevation of a modified frame; Figs. 15 and 16are fragmentary sec-- tions similar to Figs. 10 and 11 of thepictureframe strip illustrated in Fig. 8, but differently arranged;Figs. 17 and 18 are similar fragmentary sections bearing the samerelation to Fig. 2 that Figs. 15 and 16 bear to Fig. 8; Fig. 19 shows amodification of the stretching frame shown in Fig. 13; Fig. 20 shows amodification of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5; Figs. 21 and22 are fragmentary elevations corresponding to Figs. 15 and 16,respectively; Figs. 23 and 24 show modifications of the arrangementshown in Fig. 18; Fig. 25 is a fragmentary elevation showing an improvedimpaling pin; Figs. 26 and 27 are sections of a modified strip showingtwo different uses; Figs. 28 and 29 are corresponding fragmentaryelevations of the modifications shown in Figs. 26 and 27; Figs. 30 and31 show variations of the modifications shown in Figs. 26 to 29; Figs.32, 33 and 34 are views of the strip shown in Figs. 26 to 29, butarranged for still different uses; Figs. 35 and 36 are fragmentaryelevations corresponding to Figs. 32 and 34, respectively; and Figs. 37and 38 are fragmentary elevations of variations of the modificationsillustrated in Fig. 14.

The frame shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 comprises a plurality of strips 2,4, 6, 8, I0 and I2 disposed end to end in the form of a rectangle. Eachstrip is provided with a longitudinally disposed groove at each end; thestrip 2, for example, is provided with grooves I 4 and Hi, the strips 6and i2 with grooves i8 and 20, and the strips l and 8 with grooves 22and 24. The grooves of adjacently disposed ends of adjacently disposedstrips are adapted to receive joining members for joining the adjacentlydisposed strips together. The grooves 84 and 18, for eX- ample, receivethe arms 23 and 28 of a joining member 30, and the grooves I6 and 22 thearms 32 and 34 of a joining member 36. As the adjacent strips 2 and i2are disposed at right angles to each other, the arms 26 and 28 are alsoat right angles to each other, the joining member 30 being in the formof an angle member. As the adjacent strips 2 and 4, on the other hand,are alined in a common, straight line, the arms 32 and 34 of the joiningmember 36 are also alined or straight.

The strips are preferably of sheet metal, the grooves being formedbetween the rear face of the sheet metal and a second sheet 43 of metal,longitudinally bent at 44 and 46, and longitudinally disposed in contactwith the said rear face along marginal portions 48 and 50. The arms andthe grooves are of cross section and other dimensions such as to causethe arms to fit tightly in the grooves.

The marginal portions 48 and 50 of the member 43 shown in Figs. 2 to 9and 11, are secured to the strip in any desired manner, as byspotwelding. As illustrated in Fig. 10, however, one of the marginalportions may form a continuation of the strip itself, bent back uponitself at 95. One of the marginal portions may be omitted, asillustrated in Figs. 23 and 24.

Preferably, as shown, the grooves are square in cross section and thearms of the joining members 30 and 36, preferably also of metal, are ofsquare cross section to conform substantially to the cross section ofthe grooves in which they are positioned. Being made of sheet metal, theouter sides 42 of the strips may be longitudinally curved, as shown at52, to stiffen them. The free edges of the sides: 42 are caused toextend beyond the plane of the frame, or overhang; and holding orimpaling pins 48 are struck out from the sheet metal of the strips, outof harm s way, inside the overhanging portions 42, as shown at 54. Theholding pins 40 may be triangular, as shown, but a better holding effectis produced by shaping it with a shoulder, on each side, as illustratedin Fig. 25. The canvas will then not slip off once it is impaled. Thecurved portions 52 provide also further room in which to position thepins 49. The canvas 38 is mounted on the stretching frame constituted ofthe strips by impaling it on the holding pins 40; and in order thebetter to hold the canvas 38'on the pins 49, the latter are slightlyslanted inward, away from the outer edge 42, as shown, for example, inFig.

7 2. Such slight slanting serves further to protect ones person againstinjury by the pins 48, as their sharp points are thus caused to extendfurther into the narrow space between the edge 44 and the edge 42, sothat one can not accidentally injure ones fingers against the sharppoints of the pins 48.

The canvas 38 may be impaled on the pins by pressing it against thepins, exerting pressure with the fingers on each side of each pin 40.The curved portions 52 serve a further function in that they keep thecanvas spaced from the frame, as is illustrated more particularly inFig. 2, though the curved portion 52 might be omitted, illustrated inFig. 19,'as hereinafter explained.

The inner marginal portions 58 of the sheetmetal strips may constitute amarginal supporting portion for a picture, cardboard, or the like 58,held in the frame, when it is desired to utilize the device as a pictureframe. The picture 58 may be mounted on the stretching frame disclosedherein or upon some other stretching frame. The marginal portion may beornamented by longitudinally curving, as shown at 51, Fig. 11; curvedornamentation may also be produced at 59, Fig. 11; and still otherornamentation is illustrated in Figs. 26 to 32.

After the canvas has been impaled upon the pins 40, it is necessary tostretch it. This may be effected in many ways within the scope of thepresent invention. In Fig. 4, there is disclosed a double cam member,pivoted on the angle joining-member 38 at 60 and having a cam 62 forengaging the end of one of the metal strips 43 that is mounted on thestrip 6 and another cam 64 for engaging the end of one of the metalstrips 43 that is mounted on the strip 4. To stretch the canvas, allthat is necessary is to pivot the double cam member about the pivot 68by means of a handle 66. Or'the inner portions of the strips 4 and 6 maybe engaged by the cam faces 68 and 10 of a. differently shaped,double-cam or wedge member 14' that may be forced inward by turning afinger-piece I6 upon a screw-thread- .ed member 18 threaded into acorrespondingly threaded opening 89 in the neck of the angle member 30,as illustratedin Figs. 5 and 13. The member 14 may be U-shaped, asillustrated in Figs. 12 and 13, and the member 18 may pass throughopenings 19 and 8| in the legs of the U. To allow a certain amount ofside play, for uniform tension in the canvas, the openings 19 and 81 maybe elongated, as illustrated. As shown in Fig. 20, however, the member14 may be replaced by a differently-shaped, U-member 86 in which aslidable, double-cam member 85 is mounted between the member 86 and theangle member 39. The member 85 has cam faces 81 and 91 corresponding tothe cam faces 68 and 18 of the member 14, and will automatically adjustitself by sliding, as the finger piece 16 is manipulated, so as toproduce therefrom desired tension in the canvas.

To limit the degree of adjustment of the member 74, a depression I00 maybe bent in the metal Wall of the member 14, as illustrated moreparticularly in Figs. '5, 12 and 13. This permits the strips to comevcloser together.

As still another modification, for picture-frame purposes, the joiningmembers 38 and 36 may be provided with openings 82 and the sheet-metalstrips43 with corresponding openings 84 for receiving, when alined,locking metal rods 86, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7. These rods 86may be'provided with bent spring arms, in order to serve the additionalpurpose of engaging against the back of the picture 58, to hold it inplace against the marginal portion 58.

It will be noted that the picture frame of Fig. 7 corresponds in allother respects to the stretch.- ing frame of Fig. 2; but the pins 40may, of course, be omitted, as in Figs. 8 and 9. Instead of the member86, a metal strip 88 may be employed, held in place by a screw 98,threaded in a threaded opening of the member 38 or 36, as shown by fulllines in Figs. 8, 15 and 16. By reversing the strip 88, to thedotted-line position of Fig. 8, a thinner member 58 may be supported bythe projection 89, as shown by dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 8. As shown inFig. 9, the pictureholding member may comprise a metal locking member92, one end 95 of which is held loosely in an opening 940i the strip 43,but adapted to be tightened by being hooked behind the picture 58,

from the dot-and-dash to the full-line position.

The member 92 may be adjusted, so that athinner member 58 may be held bythe member 92, as illustrated in dot-and-dash lines.

The strips 2, 4, 6, etc. may be combined in many different ways, inaccordance with the present invention, three of which are illustrated,for picture-frame purposes, in Figs. 8, 15 and 16. The overhangingportion 42 is shown horizontal in Fig. 8 and vertical in Figs. 15, 16,21 and 22; and the position of Figs. 15 and 21 is the reverse of that ofFigs. 16 and 22. These many ways provide for different sizes and designsof frames. All that is necessary is to provide the openings 82 and 84 issuitable parts of the members '38, 36 I and 43; or to modify theconstruction, if desired, by having an additional, non-circular opening93 for receiving a non-circular portion 95 of a bolt 91 upon which maybe threaded a nut 99, as illustrated in Figs. 16 and. 26 to 34. Themembers 30 and 36 will be correspondingly modified to receive the member99, or the member 99 may be positioned at some distance from the members38 and 36. Indeed, as shown in Figs. 26 to 36, the member 99 need nothave any particular relation to the members 38 and 36. In Figs. 15 and21, the curved portion 52 plays a further function in that the picture58 is held between it and the body of the member 88 (or the end 89 ofthe member 86, depending upon the thickness of the picture 58). In Figs.16 and 22, the picture is held between the body of the member 86 (or itsend 89) and the portion 42 of the strip.

As illustrated in Figs. 2, 17 and 18, the same result may be producedwhen these strips are used for canvas-stretching-frame purposes. Thecanvas-stretching frame of Fig. 2 corresponds to the picture frame ofFig. 8; Fig. 18 similarly corresponds to Fig. 15; and Fig. 1'? islikewise the stretching-frame counterpart of the picture frame shown inFig. 16. In Figs. 17 and 18, the curved portion 52 may be omitted, as inFig. 19, which shows the same strip arranged as in Fig. 2, and it willbe understood that the arrangement might be as in Figs. 17 and 18. Forstretching purposes, the said openings 82 and 31 and the said members 91and 99 are not needed.

According to the modification illustrated in Figs. 14 and 38, the stripsmay all be of two forms, illustrated at I02 and IIM. The strips I32 haveone side beveled, at I 06, and the other side straight across, asillustrated at I03, and are always corner strips of the same size. Theintermediately disposed strips IM may be of different sizes, to producea different size frame. The arms 25 and 28 may be long enough, as shown.in Fig. 38, to extend into the strips N34; or, as shown in Fig. 38, twostrips I02 may be welded together at H36, to constitute unitaryangle-members, in which event the angle joining members 30 are notneeded. A frame of this character is particularly useful forpicture-frame purposes.

The different strips may be standardized; being,

however, differently ornamented. This will be understood from Figs. 26to 35. The strip shown in Figs. 26 to 29 and 32 to 36, for example, isthe same, but differently arranged; and Figs. 30 and 31 illustrate thatthis strip may be modified. In all cases, the strip is provided with therectangular or other grooves for receiving the joining members 39 and36.

The strip may have a wall IIB that carries the member 43; and, extendingfrom one side of the wall, an ornamental, oblong-shaped portion M2, awall I !4 sloping away therefrom and terminating in a bend H6, tWo wallsII! and H8 at right angles to each other, and a terminal wall 52d.Extending from the other side of the wall III there is a sloping wallI22, from which bends away a wall I24; and, at right angles thereto, awall I28. A wall I28 extends at right angles to the wall I25 andterminates in a projection i33 at right angles to the wall I28.

To illustrate one way in which the strip may be employed, the wall I24may be provided with the opening 93, discussed above in connection withFig. 16, for receiving the non-circular part 95 of the bolt 91. Thepicture frame 58 may be received between the wall I28 and a clampingmember I32 engaged by the thumb screw 99. As shown in dot-and-dash linesin Fig. 26, however, the picture frame 58 may be held between theprojection I36 and the clamping member I32. A picture frame is thusprovided, as will be understood from the cross section of Fig. 26 andthe elevation of Fig. 28, that will have different ornamental features,depending upon the shapes and the configuration of the various parts I22 to I38; and the picture frame may be held in two positions,illustrated in full lines and dot-and-dash lines.

But the bolt 91 may be mounted as shown in Fig, 27, bolt-receivingopenings being provided in the oblong-shaped members I I2. Two positionsfor holding the frame 58 are again illustrated, in full and dot-and-dashlines; a different ornamentation is provided for the picture frame, asviewed from the right, in Fig. 2'7.

Two further ways of mounting the picture frame 58, with the samepicture-frame strip, are illustrated in Fig. 32; and two more in Fig.33; and always with a different ornamental effect. In Fig. 32, thepicture frame is shown held against the terminal wall I22, on eitherside thereof; and in Fig. 33, against either the wall I26 or theprojection I30. Two further ways of holding the picture frame, againstthe wall I 58 or the end of the wall I23, are illustrated in Fig. 34. InFig. 32, the opening 33 is disposed in the wall H1; in Fig. 33, in thewall I26; and in Fig. 34, in the wall H8.

As illustrated in Fig. 30, the portions of the strip on both sides ofthe wall H3 may be considerably modified, and as shown inFigi 31, theportion of the strip on one side or the other of the wall I Iii may beentirely omitted, to produce still further ornamental effects.

Further modifications will occur to persons skilled in the art and allsuch are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the inventionas defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A frame comprising a plurality of sheetmetal strips at least some ofwhich are angularly disposed to one another in the form of a closedfigure, the strips being provided with overhanging portions and with aplurality of holding pins struck out from the metal of the stripspositioned inside the overhanging portions.

2. A frame comprising a plurality of sheet strips disposed end to end inthe form of a closed figure, a plurality of holding pins struck out fromthe strips for holding sheet material on the frame, and means forengaging the ends of selected strips to stretch the sheet material.

3. A frame comprising a plurality of sheet strips disposed end to end inthe form of a closed figure, the outer sides of the strips beingprovided with overhanging portions, and the strips being provided with aplurality of holding pins positioned inside the overhanging portions.

4. A frame comprising a plurality of sheet strips disposed end to end,some in a straight line and others at an angle to each other, in theform of a closed figure, the strips having hollowed-out portions tostiffen them, but having free side edges. means for adjusting the stripsto cause them to occupy any desired preselected position, and means forholding sheet material on the frame.

5. A frame comprising a plurality of sheet strips disposed end to endand at least some of which are angularly disposed at suitable angles toone another to form a closed figure, each strip having oppositelydisposed sides, one of the sides of each strip being longitudinallycurved to stiifen it and being provided with an overhanging portion, andmeans for holding sheet material on the frame.

6. A frame comprising a plurality of sheet strips at least some of whichare angularly disposed to one another in the form of a closed figure, aplurality of holding pins struck out from the strips for holding sheetmaterial on the frame, and means for moving the strips relatively tostretch the sheet material.

7. A frame comprising a plurality of sheetmetal strips disposed end toend in the form of a closed figure and each provided with alongitudinally disposed groove at each end, and a plurality of joiningmembers each having two arms, the arms of each joining member beingpositioned in the grooves of adjacently disposed ends of two adjacentlydisposed strips, and the frame having a plurality of holding pins struckout from the metal of the strips for'holding sheet material on theframe.

8. A frame comprising a plurality of strips disposed end to end in theform of a closed figure and each provided with a longitudinally disposedgroove at each end, and a plurality of joining members each having twoarms, the arms of each joining member being positioned in the grooves ofadjacently disposed ends of two adjacently disposed strips, the outersides of the strips being provided with overhanging portions, and thestrips being provided with a plurality of holding pins positioned insidethe overhanging portions for holding sheet material on the frame.

9. A frame comprising a plurality of strips disposed end to end, some ina straight line and others at an angle to each other, in the form of aclosed figure, each strip being provided with a longitudinally disposedgroove at each end, a plurality of straight joining mem bers, and aplurality of angle joining members, each joining member having two arms,the arms of each straight joining member being positioned in the groovesof adjacently disposed ends of two strips adjacently disposed in .astraight line, and the arms of each angle joining member beingpositioned in the grooves of adjacently disposed ends of two stripsadjacently disposed at an angle to each other, and means for adjustingthe arms in the grooves to cause them to occupy any desired preselectedposition in the grooves. I

10. A frame comprising a plurality of sheet strips disposed end to endin the form of a closed figure and each provided, at each end, with alongitudinally disposed, sheet portion, the sheet portions beinglongitudinally bent into a form having longitudinal edges, thelongitudinal edges being disposed in contact with the correspondingstrips to form longitudinally disposed grooves between the strips andthesheet' portions, and a plurality of joining members each having twoarms, the arms of each joining memher being positioned in the grooves ofadjacently disposed ends of two adjacently disposed strips, and the armsconforming in cross section substantially to the cross section of thegrooves in' which they are positioned to cause the arms to fit tightlyin the grooves.

11. A frame comprising a plurality of sheet strips disposed end to endin the form of a closed figure and each provided with a longitudinallydisposed, longitudinally bent, sheet por tion at each end to form alongitudinally disposed groove between the strip and the sheet portion,a plurality of joining members each having two arms, the arms of eachjoining memher being positioned in the grooves of adjacently disposedends of two adjacently disposed strips, the arms conforming in crosssection substantially to the cross section of the grooves in which theyare positioned to cause thearms to fit tightly in the grooves, and theouter sides of the strips being longitudinally curved to stiffen them.

12. A frame comprising a plurality of sheet strips disposed end to endin the form of a closed figure and each provided with a longitudinallydisposed, longitudinally bent, sheet portion at each end to form alongitudinally disposed groove between the strip and the sheet portion,a plurality of joining members each having two arms, the arms of eachjoining member being positioned in the grooves of adjacently disposedends of two adjacently disposed strips, the arms conforming in crosssection substantially to the cross section of the grooves in which theyare positioned to cause the arms to fit tightly in the grooves, theouter sides of the strips being longitudinally curved to stiffen them,and being provided with overhanging portions, and a plurality of holdingpins being struck out from the strips inside the overhanging portions.

13. A frame comprising a plurality of sheet strips disposed end to endin the form of a closed figure and each provided with a longitudinallydisposed, longitudinally bent, sheet portion at each end to form alongitudinally disposed groove between the strip and the sheet portion,a plurality of joining members each having two arms, the arms of eachjoining member being positioned in the grooves of adjacently disposedends of two adjacently disposed strips, the arms conforming in crosssection substantially to the cross section of the grooves in which theyare positioned to cause the arms to fit tightly in the grooves, and theinner sides of the sheet strips extending beyond the respective sheetportions to constitute a support for an article held in the frame.

14. A sheet strip provided with a longitudinally disposed,longitudinally bent, sheet portion at each end to form a longitudinallydisposed groove between the strip and the sheet portion, a plurality 'ofholding pins being struck out from the strip.

15. A sheet strip provided with a longitudinally disposed,longitudinally bent, sheet portion 7 at each end to form alongitudinally disposed groove between the strip and the sheet portion,one of the sides of the sheet strip extending beyond the sheet portionto constitute a marginal supporting portion. a

16. A frame comprising a plurality of strips disposed end to end in theform of a closed figure and each provided with a longitudinally disposedgroove at each end, a plurality of joining members each having two arms,the arms of each joining member being positioned in the grooves ofadjacently disposed ends of two adjacently disposed strips,-means forholding sheet material on the frame, and a cam for stretching the sheetmaterial on the frame.

17. A frame comprising a plurality of strips disposed end to end in theform of a closed figure and each provided with a longitudinally disposedgroove at each end, and a plurality of joining members each having. twoarms, the arms of each joining member being positioned in the grooves ofadjacently disposed ends of two adjacently disposed strips, the innersides of the strips constituting marginal supporting portions, and meansfor holding an article against the supporting portions.

18. A frame comprising a plurality of strips disposed end to end in theform of a closed figure and each provided with a longitudinally disposedgroove at each end, and a plurality of joining members each having twoarms, the arms of each joining member being positioned in the grooves ofadjacently disposed ends of two adjacently disposed strips, the innersides of the strips constituting marginal supporting portions, and amember supported by a wall of the groove for holding an article againstthe supporting portions.

19. A strip for a frame having a wall provided with a groove adapted toreceive a member for joining the strip to another strip, the striphaving an ornamental wall to one side of the firstnamed wall.

20. A frame comprising a plurality of strips disposed end to end in theform of a closed figure and each provided with a longitudinally disposedgroove at each end, a plurality of joining members each having two arms,the arms of each joining member being positioned in the grooves ofadjacently disposed ends of two adjacently disposed strips, each striphaving an ornamental wall to one side of the grooves, and means forholding an article in the frame.

21. A frame comprising a plurality of strips combinations to producedifferently ornamented 10 frames.

JOSEPH TEPPER.

